Bourjos is getting comfortable at the plate in hitting .308 over his past 35 at bats, has struck out just 4 times in that same period including zero times in his past 6 games, and has had 5 extra base hits (2 doubles, 1 triple, 2 home runs) in that same period. He now has SEVEN OF assists in only 23 games, including two last night. Don't worry about the lower SBs count, he's still learning the pickoff moves, and as it is he has still stolen 4 out of 5 in those 23 games.

Abreu finally ended his slide with a home run. Matsui and Bourjos also helped out with home runs as the Halos had 3 home runs in one inning (the 6th).

Props to Bourjos for ending the Halos scoreless innings drought going back to Friday night.

The Angels hit more home runs last night (3) against the Mariners than they did all last week (2).

Santana pitched well before tiring in the 7th and 8th innings.

Jepsen got a critical out in the 8th, and is slowly getting back the success he had in the 2nd half of 2009 and in April of this season.

Hunter had a pair of hits.

Rivera showed some alertness backing up one drive that eluded Bourjos (appearing to have taken a strange direction past Bourjos), and throwing out an M's baserunner.

Rants:

Not many last night, and I hope this isn't a one time thing like last Wednesday was.

The Halos started slowly against yet another young pitcher, before finally breaking through in the 6th inning.

Callaspo went 0-5 in his first leadoff appearance as a Halos player. He still doesn't strike out much though, a good trait for a leadoff man to have. But his speed is a definite question mark for the leadoff spot.

Rodney had a shaky 9th inning.

Mathis continues to make even Bob Uecker's hitting in the 1960s look Ruthian in comparison, and Uecker played in a tougher era for hitters. Mathis is hitting a robust Buck Sixty-Three since returning from the DL in mid-June, and continues to struggle some with preventing WPs.

August 31, 2007 the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim beat the Texas Rangers 7-6 in 10 innings at Angel Stadium. Howie Kendrick was 3-5 with 3 RBI and drove in the winning run on an infield single in the bottom of the 10th inning. Kendrick was drafted by the Angels in the 10th round of the 2002 MLB Draft and at one time was rated the #1 prospect in the Texas League while playing for the Angels AA affiliate Arkansas Travelers. Kendrick made his major league debut in 2006 and after Adam Kennedy left the Angels for free agency, Kendrick became the starter at second base where he hit .322 in 88 games in 2007.

Monday, August 30, 2010

August 30, 2009 the Angels beat the Oakland A's 9-1 at Angel Stadium. John Lackey pitched 8 innings, allowing 1 run on 5 hits while striking out 6. Torii Hunter hit a home run and drove in 3 and Kendry Morales also had a home run with 3 RBI. Morales was named the AL player of the month for August after hitting 10 home runs with 33 RBI, a .385 average and .734 slugging percentage. Morales went on to hit 34 home runs with 108 RBI and a .306 average in his first full year as a starter for the Angels and his numbers in August would put him in the running for the AL MVP where he eventually finished fifth.

Sunday, August 29, 2010

The Halos played some solid defense today, two good plays by Kendrick.

That is all!

Rants:

Abreu is a minor leaguer at the plate right now (4 for 39). I'm sorry we're paying this approaching over the hill player $9.5 million next season.

Kendrick, while making two nice plays, ruined the 6th inning chance with one of the gazillion GIDPs the Halos have had this year.

Hunter was STUPID swinging at the first pitch from new pitcher Uehara! Hunter for a leader sure has done some real stupid things this season!

Matsui looks lost at the plate, no clue against Guthrie in the 8th.

Rivera continues to mystify me why he appears to figure in future plans. There's nothing to be impressed with.

As for the entire roster of position players, I'm putting on notice right now that you have EMBARRASSED Halos fans around the world losing 6 straight to a very mediocre O's team! When you look at yourselves in the mirror, I hope you're as repulsed as Halos fans around the world are!!!!!

Hey Halos players, you just scored ONE freaking run in 3 games against one of the WORST pitching staffs in MLB!!! Congratulations for taking "stinking it up" to new highs!!!!!

Mike, you do understand that Gonzalez HAS to stay in to face one batter after coming in. Where was Napoli to face the lefty?????

Hatcher needs to go. Either he can't communicate with them anymore, or they are tuning him out. A fresh pair of eyes and a fresh approach is needed!

I'm embarrassed to be a Halos fan right now. Is this the first time in MLB history that a team was season swept by the worst team in MLB record wise????

It is a gradual slide; you go from watching every game to not knowing they have a day off. You go from regularly checking score updates on your phone to actively searching through the channel guide to find something else to watch. You go from reading the paper every morning to not even bothering to pick it up from the curb for two days. You have no idea who the starting pitcher is and are shocked to find out Trevor Bell is in the rotation. You go from spending hours a day on a message board, to not checking for days at a time.

You’ve been a diehard fan for decades. You can't talk about 1986. You lived and died with the 95 team, every agonizing bone crushing loss during the epic collapse. You cried sweet tears of joy as the miracle of 2002 ended with the ball landing softly in Erstad’s glove for the final out. You basked in the glory of a golden age of Angel’s baseball, safe in the knowledge that the Angels would win the marathon long season, playoff baseball had became a right, not a privilege.

Was it the loss of one too many familiar faces? Seeing Vlad, Lackey, and Figgins shown the door…while former Angels greats like Salmon and GA had already moved on? Looking through the roster and noticing a hobbled Scot Shields was the last lone link to 2002 glory? Maybe it was the obvious you chose to ignore, the Angel’s baseball you had grown accustomed to was no longer. The first to third, rock steady bullpen, flawless execution of the fundamentals…replaced by a creaky outfield where every flyball became an adventure and a punchless lineup that once featured 9 .300 hitters now featured a cast of players looking up at the Mendoza line.

I can remember a time where a lineup featuring Orlando Palmiero as the number 3 hitter was quirky…yet everytime I see Alberto Callaspo in the 3 hole I shudder and think…that’s probably the best lineup they can run out there. The endless Napoli vs. Mathis debates have lost all meaning, they both lost. The emerging young talent you followed for years made their long awaited debuts and the thud still echoes through the stadium.

Is this what it’s like to be a Pirate’s fan? Maybe my interest will pick back up in September when the young hungry minor leaguers get the call. Or maybe I’ll take some time to refresh and when the winds of Spring Training return and the roster is revamped I’ll catch Angel fever once again. Or, maybe, just maybe, I am becoming Arte’s worst nightmare. Not angry. Not disappointed...Completely disinterested.

Wilson had a hit and did a decent job behind the plate except for making his first error of the season on a bad throw to 2B.

Callaspo extends his hitting streak to 13.

RAVE OF THE DAY: Hard to choose, not much to choose from. But I'll go with Bourjos for great defense, plus stretching a single into a double.

Rants:

The Halos are still putrid with RISP. It's almost comical now, but at the same time it's pissing me off to no end!

Kendrick's defense is up and down like his hitting. When is he going to ever supply consistency? as he's now in his late 20s. Segura is still at least 2 years away, more likely 2.5 years away, but his seemingly overall game makes me yearn for him to be ready to play up here now.

Matsui is cooling off, just when he might have been inviting to another team as a lefty hitter down the stretch. Just the Halos luck, of which none is existant in 2010.

Kazmir can never get beyond 4 innings before imploding. That is not starting pitching material. Maybe he should be a reliever.

Shields again can't get beyond 1 inning before imploding himself.

Abreu is 4-35 with 13 Ks. I don't look forward to him earning that vesting option for 2012!!!!

This is PATHETIC being 0-5 against the O's. Showalter or no Showalter, that is EMBARRASSING!!!!

Maybe the Halos' lineup MIGHT come through with RISP in clutch spots by the 2011 regular season?????

RANT OF THE DAY: ONE stinking hit with RISP (that didn't even score a run) in the first 2 games against a MEDIOCRE O's pitching staff!!!!!!

Anaheim, CA - Baseball fans love stats. The game was meant for them. If there’s an event in baseball, it’s scored. It’s quantified. It’s measured. Therefore, it can be correlated to any other event in the game. Want to know the Angels’ record when the game temperature was 68 degrees and started at 6:07? You probably can find it somewhere.

The 2010 Angels have had a Jekyll and Hyde season. The stats clearly show that. In all aspects of the game, they’ve deviated widely from their collective standards and even from their year-to-date averages in their wins and losses.

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Below is both a video and a slide show of pictures taken by Randy Lawrence from today's AngelsWin.com "Oppo Taco" t-shirt presentation which saw 40 baseball jerseys given to the special needs children who play in the OC Miracle League.

Angels play by play announcer Victor Rojas spoke to the children and parents and then presented the t-shirts along with AngelsWin.com own Senior Writer Adam Dodge and contributor Jody Brown Tierney.

Again last night, the Halos come off of ONE hard hitting game and proceed to go into the tank YET AGAIN!!!!

What is it about this team that makes it soooooo hard to string together any number of solid hitting games????

Why is it this team can score a lot of runs in one game, but also be doormat for several games right after that?????

There just isn't a whole lot of fire seen in the batters in the Halos' lineup, and hasn't been for most of this season.

Rumors abound that someone comparable to a 24 year-old stalled prospect in AA is coming to the Halos in the Fuentes deal. How the heck then did Texas get THREE SOLID prospects from the Red Sox, including solid part-time OF David Murphy, for Eric Gagne in 2007. The same Gagne coming off of only 20+ innings pitched in 2005 and 2006, and only available to the Red Sox for 2 months in 2007.

Friday, August 27, 2010

Anaheim, CA -- Newton’s Third Law of Motion states that for every action, there is an equal but opposite reaction. That’s true whether we’re talking physics or we’re talking baseball. Tonight just felt like a series of actions and reactions rather than a game of baseball.

Action: Right before the Angels took batting practice, Tony Reagins came down to the clubhouse with a stoic look on his face. Reaction: The members of the media immediately gave him some privacy while he had a private conversation with Fuentes.

It is with great pleasure that AngelsWin.com presents another Hot Prospect List for the Angels. In our weekly column, we take a look at who has been hot down on the farm. Unlike our annual Top-50 Prospects, our Hot Prospects List is not ranked based on the ceiling of the prospect or the likelihood of him achieving that ceiling. Instead, it is weekly snapshot that reflects the players’ accomplishments based on their performances against their competition. This year, AngelsWin.com will be presenting the Hot Prospect List every Friday throughout the Minor League season.

1. Randal Grichuk, OF, Class A Cedar Rapids KernelsPast 10 Games: 16/38 (.421), 7 Doubles, 0 Triples, 0 HRs, 6 Runs, 5 RBIs, 0 SBsOverall: .286/.325/.556 with 10 HRs and 4 SBsWhat’s Up: After missing more than two months with an injury, Grichuk is back and mashing. He’s pounded out 37 extra base hits in just 60 games. Adjusted for the course of a 162-game season, that’s a pace for 57 doubles, 16 triples, and 27 HRs. That’s some power! Plate discipline is still a concern for Grichuk. With 58 Ks and 12 BBs in 234 ABs, he needs to improve the discipline as he moves up to the higher levels. However, considering he turned 19 just two weeks ago, he has plenty of time to work on his plate discipline. What is more impressive to see is that he has fully recovered from his injury earlier in the season and hitting with authority. AngelsWin.com expects big numbers out of him next year in Rancho.

2. Jeremy Moore, OF, Class AA Arkansas TravelersPast 10 Games: 17/37 (.459), 2 Doubles, 2 Triples, 1 HR, 11 Runs, 7 RBIs, 4 SBsOverall: .310/.366/.471 with 12 HRs and 24 SBsWhat’s Up: Jeremy Moore hasn’t let up his assault on Texas League pitchers. After being named Player of the Week for the Texas League last week (the first Travelers’ position player to earn that honor this year), Moore has continued his torrid hitting. Currently riding a 12-game hitting streak, Moore is pushing his way up the ladder as a dark horse candidate for a 4th outfielder spot or as a valuable trade chip this offseason.

3. Ariel Pena, RHP, Class A Cedar Rapids KernelsPast 10 Days: 1-0, 0 Saves, 1.50 ERA, 15.0 IP, 6 H, 4 BB, 20 K, 0.67 WHIPOverall: 7-6, 0 Saves, 4.16 ERA, 110.1 IP, 98 H, 70 BB, 92 K, 1.52 WHIP, .241 BAAWhat’s Up: Prior to the 2010 season, AngelsWin.com ranked Ariel Pena as the 336 Top Prospect in the organization. We described him as a “[y]oung Dominican with a lively arm. Could add more velocity as he matures. Needs to refine secondary pitches. Worked as both a starter and reliever last year, but should stick as a starter.” When Pena has control of his stuff, he is an effective starter. When he doesn’t he walks his way into big trouble. The walks clearly need to come down if he’s going to have success at the higher levels. But, at age 21, Pena has time to gain that control and become an effective pitcher.

4. Brandon Decker, 1B, Single A Orem OwlzPast 10 Games: 18/38 (.474), 3 Doubles, 0 Triples, 6 HRs, 11 Runs, 17 RBIs, 0 SBsOverall: .345/.435/.676 with 12 HRs and 0 SBsWhat’s Up: For the second week in a row, Brandon Decker is on the Hot Prospect List. Both Decker and Heid have been a big reason why the Owlz have powered their way up to within a half-game of first place in the Pioneer League. Manager Tom Kotchman knows how to get the most out of his players and has regularly taken his teams to the playoffs. This year should prove to be no exception with the way that Decker is pounding the ball. While AngelsWin.com would like to see a slight improvement out of Decker in his plate discipline, his numbers (13 BBs: 31 Ks in 42 games) are not horrible for a power hitter. His 12 HRs on the season place him second in the league for that stat. And, his 1.111 OPS would be tops in the league if he had enough ABs to qualify.

5. Tyler Kehrer, LHP, Class A Cedar Rapids KernelsPast 10 Games: 1-0, 0 Saves, 0.00 ERA, 12.0 IP, 10 H, 3 BB, 18 K, 1.00 WHIPOverall: 5-4, 0 Saves, 4.61 ERA, 105.1 IP, 97 H, 63 BB, 100 K, 1.00 WHIP, .247 BAAWhat’s Up: Tyler Kehrer has shown some peculiar development this season. In the first half, he walked 44 batters in 45.2 IP. In the second half, he’s dropped that number to 19 BBs in 59.2 IP. In both halves he struck out nearly one batter per IP. But, even though he’s dropped his rate for giving up walks by one third, his BAA has shot up from .221 in the first half to .266 in the second half. And, the rate at which he’s inducing ground balls has dropped from 1.75 GO: AO to 1.36. Who says player development is a linear process? Part of this is most likely the result of the Angels’ trade for Dan Haren which sent Tyler Skaggs to Arizona because Skaggs and Kehrer split games to keep Skaggs’ pitch counts down. Since the Dan Haren trade, Kehrer has been starting all games and going deeper into the games, which would affect his numbers later in the game as he’s pitching more tired and as the batters have batted once or twice against him. Still, Kehrer is showing have plenty of depth in left-handed pitching, even after all their trades this year.

6. Luis Jimenez, 3B, Class A RC QuakesPast 10 Games: 14/40 (.350), 7 Doubles, 0 Triples, 1 HR, 5 Runs, 7 RBIs, 5 SBsOverall: .288/.3292/.500 with 12 HRs and 19 SBsWhat’s Up: After missing all of the 2009 with an injury, Jimenez is back. Not only did he play in the Futures Game in Anaheim, he’s posted 64 extra base hits in 117 games. While 43 of those extra base hits have been doubles, AngelsWin.com expects that more of them will turn into HRs as he matures and still recovers from his injury. Already he has hit more HRs in the second half than he did in the first half. Walks still are a concern with Jimenez (only 24 on the season), but he’s only struck out 66 times. With 9 triples and 19 SBs, Jimenez has some speed. He’s only hit into 10 DPs. Defensively he’s very solid and improved from 2008, with the potential to be a plus defender. The Angels have been splitting time at 3B in Rancho between Jimenez and Dillon Baird. Both have done well at 3B, and it will be interesting to see how both develop over the next two years.

7. Garrett Richards, RHP, Class A RC QuakesPast 10 Days: 2-0, 0 Saves, 0.00 ERA, 10.0 IP, 6 H, 4 BB, 11 K, 1.00 WHIPOverall: 11-5, 0 Saves, 3.59 ERA, 133.0 IP, 122 H, 40 BB, 138 K, 1.22 WHIP, .244 BAAWhat’s Up: Garrett Richards is moving his way up to the top of the AngelsWin.com Top Prospect List. Considering that he started the season at #6 on the list, he’s showing why he’s the top pitching prospect in the organization. Richards has 4 quality pitches which he commands well in the zone. His 3.45 K/BB ratio and 9.34 K/9IP are very good numbers. He’s able to generate plenty of ground balls (2.04 GO:AO ratio for the season). In both cases, he’s improved on those numbers since his promotion to Rancho, generating a 5.0 K/BB ratio and a 2.31 GO:AO ratio. The only concern with Richards since his promotion to Rancho has been the increased BAA (.303 in Rancho versus .229 in Cedar Rapids). But, looking at the number of hits he’s allowed, most of the damage was done in his first three games at Rancho. Hopefully this past week shows that Richards is adjusting to the League and will build on this success for the remainder of the season.

8. Andrew Heid, OF, Single A Orem OwlzPast 10 Games: 13/40 (.325), 2 Doubles, 0 Triples, 1 HR, 7 Runs, 2 RBIs, 1 SBOverall: .351/.423/.485 with 7 HRs and 8 SBsWhat’s Up: Six walks. That’s one of the key differences between Andrew Heid, who is in third place for the Pioneer League in Batting Average and fourth place for OB% and the League leader. Heid leads the League in hits and is in 8th place for OPS, but, he is old for the League. AngelsWin.com would like to see the Angels have Heid jump over Cedar Rapids next year to Rancho Cucamonga and see how he could do against more age-appropriate competition. With Cedar Rapids going to the playoffs this year, the Angels may wish to promote Heid to get some post-season experience. However, like with many of the players at Triple-A, the experience of playing meaningful games in a race towards the finish is also very valuable. So, the Angels may not promote him at all this year, depending on how things work out for the Owlz.

9. Hank Conger, C, Class AAA Salt Lake BeesPast 10 Games: 11/34 (.324), 4 Doubles, 0 Triples, 2 HRs, 3 Runs, 6 RBIs, 0 SBsOverall: .287/.378/.436 with 9 HRs and 0 SBsWhat’s Up: A quick glance at the stats would suggest that Conger’s power hasn’t manifested itself as one would expect in Salt Lake. But, a more detailed analysis shows that in the second half, Conger has seen a bit of a power surge boosting his SLG from .413 before the All-Star Break to .486 after the break. That boost in power has not come at the expense of his OB% which has remained nearly identical (.378 before versus .377 after). Like Trumbo, Conger is caught up in the pennant race in Salt Lake, and probably will be held down there until their season finishes. But, he should get a call-up afterward and should see some time in games for the Major League club this year.

10. Mark Trumbo, RF/1B, Class AAA Salt Lake BeesPast 10 Games: 12/39 (.308), 4 Doubles, 0 Triples, 2 HRs, 6 Runs, 8 RBIs, 0 SBsOverall: .297/.364/.558 with 30 HRs and 3 SBsWhat’s Up: Let’s see, Trumbo has career highs in RBIs, walks, BA, SLG, and OPS. He’s 2 HRs shy of his career high in that category too. All that should merit a callup. But, with the Bees in a pennant race, and his bat playing a major role in the pennant chase, he may not get called up right away as giving him the experience of playing meaningful games late in the season and potentially playing in a playoff environment may prove more valuable to him than a few games with the parent club early in September. Look for him to get called up once the Bees’ season is over, and then get regular playing time once called up.

August 27, 1964 at Municipal Stadium in Kansas City the Los Angeles Angels beat the Kansas City Athletics 7-1. George Brunet pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing 1 run on 6 hits, striking out 6. Bob Lee pitched the last 2 1/3 innings, earning his 16th save. The Angels got home runs from Lenny Green, Joe Adcock and Willie Smith in the game to lead the Angels scoring. Willie Smith was traded to the Angels after the 12th game of the 1964 season from the Detroit Tigers for Julio Navarro. Smith was a pitcher converted to the outfield when he came to the Angels and only had 8 Major League at-bats before getting 359 with the Angels in 1964, hitting 11 home runs with a .301 average. Smith also pitched in 15 games that year, striking out 20 in 31.2 innings with a 2.84 ERA. Smith was sold to the Cleveland Indians after the 1966 season.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

August 25, 1979 the California Angels beat the Toronto Blue Jays 24-2 at Exhibition Stadium. The Angels set a club record for runs scored and tied their record of 26 hits in a game with 13 singles, 6 doubles, 2 triples and 5 home runs. Don Baylor hit 2 home runs in the game, including a grand slam in the first inning, driving in a total of 8 runs. Bobby Grich would get 3 hits and 4 RBI with a double and home run while Dan Ford and Bobby Clark each had 3 hits and 3 RBI and a home run. It was Clark's first Major League home run. Dave Frost pitched a complete game, allowing 2 runs on 10 hits while striking out 4. Frost had his beat year with the Angels in 1979 tying Nolan Ryan for the team lead with 16 wins and led Angel starters in winning percent (.615), ERA (3.57) and innings pitched (239.1).

Also on August 25, 2004 at Edison International Stadium the Angels beat the Kansas City Royals 21-6, setting their club record for runs at home. Ramon Ortiz pitched 6 innings for the win and the Angels got 5 RBI and a home run from Garret Anderson, 4 RBI from Jose Molina on a pinch-hit grand slam in the 7th inning and Jeff DaVanon was 4-6, driving in 4 runs and hit for the cycle in the game, becoming the fourth player to hit for the cycle in Angels history.

Lastly on August 25, 1981 at Anaheim Stadium the Angels beat the Boston Red Sox 8-7 in 10 innings. Don Aase picked up the win in relief and the Angels set a club record for steals in the game with 7. Rod Carew stole 3 bases, Bert Campaneris had 2 and 1 each by Rick Burleson and Freddie Patek.

With 13 games left, the Bees are 2.5 games out of first place. Two of the stalwarts in their lineup are Mark Trumbo and Hank Conger. If the Bees are going to have any legitimate shot at the playoffs, it will be with them in the lineup.

Additionally, to help the Bees get to the playoffs (and because they have earned the promotion), the Angels recently promoted 2B Alexi Amarista (.300/.344/.408 with 22 SBs across 3 levels) and CF Tyson Auer (.319/.373/.433 with 53 SBs across 3 levels) to the Bees. At age 21, Amarista has established himself as an exceptional 2B (winning the Double-A Texas League award for best defensive 2B) and is a sparkplug to the lineup. At age 24, Auer is a bit behind the curve, but could fill in very nicely as a 4th OFer. His range isn't as great at Bourjos', but, it would be better than Willits'.

The Bees have a critical road trip right now which could bury them in the standings or propel them to the top. How they fare will have an effect on who gets called up to the Majors and when they get the call. It's definitely worth keeping an eye on as a fan.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

August 24, 2004 the Anaheim Angels beat the Kansas City Royals 7-5 at Edison International Stadium. John Lackey picked up his 11th win of the season, allowing 5 runs on 7 hits, striking out 6 and Troy Percival pitched the last inning for his 25th save. Adam Kennedy went 4-4 with a run scored and 2 RBI and Jose Guillen hit his 26th home run of the year, scoring twice and driving in two. Guillen would only hit one more homer afterward but still set career highs with 27 home runs, 104 RBI and a .294 average in his one season with the Angels before being traded to Washington for Maicer Izturis and Juan Rivera. The Angels finished 2004 at 92-70, winning their fourth American league West title and first since 1986, but were swept by the Boston Red Sox in the ALDS. 2004 was the last year the Angels played as the "Anaheim Angels" before changing to "Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim" the next season.

Peter Bourjos continues to make the OF defense so much better, robbing batters of home runs now on top of everything else he does out there.

His hitting is slowly coming around, with hits in 4 of his past 5 games. His plate patience is improving, and we are starting to see his speed via SBs.

The Halos bullpen allows just 2 baserunners in 3 2/3 innings. Kohn looked good against the 2 hitters he faced. Jepsen had another solid outing in response to the poor one in Boston. Despite some struggles, K-Rod 2.0 continues to shut the opposing team down (nearly 9 scoreless innings).

The team defense just looks different since Bourjos arrived.

Callaspo is not generating many extra base hits since arriving here (4 doubles and one home run in 98 at bats), but he's giving a clue of his future value here with his 9 game hitting streak and hitting over .330 since being acquired.

Knowing that Trumbo and Conger, and maybe even Romine, could be coming up soon to complete the calling up process gives me hope; because now they can begin to plan for taking back the AL West in 2011.

Rants:

Not a good night at the plate for the Halos YET again. Outside of Bourjos creating a run in the 7th and Matsui driving in 2 with a 3rd inning double, the Halos continue to bring new meaning to poor hitting.

Torii Hunter seems to have fallen in love with grounding into double plays.

Abreu is 3 for his past 21 and not looking good.

Aybar, after a couple of solid games, goes back to looking over matched at the plate.

Mathis just totally puzzles me why he still gets a lot of starts. That 3 game rest that Mike Scoiscia gave him didn't do much good.

AGAIN, the team has no offense late with nothing after Bourjos' leadoff 7th inning single.

I think I'm getting close to the end of my rope with Kazmir though. His pitching was not as decent as the stats say, thanks to Bourjos' great defense last night.

To me, Kazmir almost seems to have morphed into Rick Ankiel. He had FOUR more walks, giving him 60 in just 113.2 innings. I'll be glad when 2011 is far enough along and they can trade him and not have to eat much money.

The Halos hitters just don't seem to have a lot of fire, which explains the seemingly going through the motions constantly late in games!

I've already put a wrap on AL West contention, and this game didn't show me anything different!

August 23, 1967 the California Angels beat the Cleveland Indians 16-5 at Cleveland Stadium. Every Angel starter had at least one hit, including winning pitcher Jack Hamilton, who besides going 2-5 in the game scoring once and knocking in a run, pitched 8 innings for his 10th win of the year. The Angels had 25 hits in the game, 4 each from Jim Fregosi and Hawk Taylor and Fregosi would score 4 times while Rick Reichardt drove in 5. Of the 25 hits, 20 were singles, setting the Angels club record for singles in a game. Minnie Rojas pitched the final inning for his 22nd save. Even though the Angels were up 16-5, prior to the 1969 ruling a save could be awarded if the pitcher finished the game with the lead and was not the winning pitcher. Rojas was sent to the Angels by Jalisco (Mexican League) for $20k in 1966. In 1967, Rojas led the American League with 27 saves and held the Angels club record before it was later broken by Donnie Moore in 1985.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Weaver battled even though he didn't have great stuff, only having 3 Ks on the night. If not for Cuddyer's bases clearing XBH, it might be a different game.

Shields and Walden held the Twins scoreless. Walden showed some fortitude, pitching out of a 1st and 3rd and no outs without a run scoring, and striking out 2. Nice debut Jordan!Walden hit 99 MPH on the radar gun, with his slowest fastball registering at 97 MPH on the radar gun. His slider was in the 87-89 MPH range.

Matsui has hit in 7 straight and raised his BA 15 pts. in that time.

The baserunning and defense didn't have any bad plays again tonight.

Rants:

This offense is terrible right now with RISP, and also late in games. I can't even remember the last time they came back from behind late, which makes sense given that they have ONE win all season when trailing after 8 innings. It's also a seemingly semi-routine thing for them to be held to 0, 1, or 2 hits the last 3-4 innings. That is ANYTHING but clutch.

No one, and I mean no one, can sustain hitting for even 2 weeks, other than Abreu for the first 2 weeks or so of August.

Mathis was flirting with an .400 OPS since June until yesterday's triple. How can someone this bad at the plate start so many games???? He can't throw the ball that well except behind the runner at 1B, and he doesn't block enough WPs.

I've lost count on how many times a player gets to a 5 games hitting streak, and then goes stone cold right after that. There is no consistency whatsoever at the plate.

This is no contender, that's for sure. Contenders show much more consistent hitting, and actually string winning streaks together. When was the last time this team had more than a 3 game winning streak?

The batters have some soul searching to do in the off-season. They need to suck it up and face RISP situations head on, and realize that they aren't the plague!

And STOP playing small ball when the personnel isn't there for the most part to play it, outside of Aybar and Bourjos. But even Aybar cannot seem to successfully land a sacrifice bunt these days.

Crawford is a MUST signing in the off-season, as is a bullpen leader to replace the much missed Darren Oliver.

The spoilsport has always been a part of baseball, and with the rise and commercialization of sport and sports reporting there is something that draws the public towards watching these train wrecks. According to sports’ theorists TR Martland the spoilsport is someone “who physically occupies a designated position on the playing field but only pretends to enter its different world,” in other words, someone who chooses to play the game but by their own code of conduct (Martland 65).

Friday, August 20, 2010

On July 9th, 2010, AngelsWin.com had the opportunity to interview Fred Lynn as SUBWAY kicked off its second annual event for SUBWAY Baseball DeSIGNS Tour. SUBWAY Baseball DeSIGNS is part of SUBWAY’S commitment to promote healthy active lifestyles for families by raising awareness and funds for the Little League Urban Initiative. Over 41 athletes and stars signed baseballs designed and decorated by Little Leaguers which are being auctioned off now through August 29th, 2010. Athletes and celebrities who signed baseballs include:

All of the baseballs are available for auction from today, August 20th, until August 29th. Fans can bid on all of the baseballs here or can go to http://www.subwaykids.com/ to see all of the baseballs. All of the money raised from the sale of these baseballs will go to support Little League baseball and should be tax deductible charitable contributions.

Angels fans, while times may be tough, this is a great opportunity to do something for the future of the sport that we love. Supporting the Little League Baseball Urban Initiative through Subway DeSIGNS is a great way to ensure that we will see the most talented players in the future.

Last year, Subway DeSIGNS raised approximately $5,000.00 for Little League Baseball. Hopefully Angels fans will dig deep and help Subway double their contribution to the future of the game.

It is with great pleasure that AngelsWin.com presents another Hot Prospect List for the Angels. In our weekly column, we take a look at who has been hot down on the farm. Unlike our annual Top-50 Prospects, our Hot Prospects List is not ranked based on the ceiling of the prospect or the likelihood of him achieving that ceiling. Instead, it is weekly snapshot that reflects the players’ accomplishments based on their performances against their competition. This year, AngelsWin.com will be presenting the Hot Prospect List every Friday throughout the Minor League season.

What’s Up: Brandon Decker has been crushing the Pioneer League in August. In his past 10 games, he has posted a monstrous 1.819 OPS! Drafted out of Valdosta State in Georgia in the 21st round this year, Decker has been converted from the outfield to first base. His footwork at first base needs some refinement, but he is making the plays and has posted a .990 Fielding % on the year. Listed at 6’3” and 235, he’s a big guy, but runs a bit better than most guys his size. On the season, he’s only grounded into 2 double plays. At 22, Decker is a bit old for the Pioneer League. And, with the surplus of Angels prospects at first base, it will be much harder for Decker to jump a level, especially over Casey Haerther. Still, Decker is a source of big power and someone that Angels fans should get to know as he works his way up the organizational ladder. Decker was a unanimous first-team All-America selection, receiving the honor from all three organizations. The left-handed hitting slugger batted .420 and belted 21 home runs during the 2010 season. He drove in 79 runs and scored 81 runs. He also had 21 doubles and two triples among his 87 hits. He finished the year with an .858 slugging percentage and a .560 on-base percentage. He was named the Gulf South Conference's East Division Player of the Year.

What’s Up: Heid can hit. And if he can hit, hit, the Angels will have to find a way to get his bat into the lineup. Following on Dillon Baird’s batting title last year, Heid is presently third in the Pioneer League with a good shot to win another Batting Title for Orem. His On-Base Percentage is second in the League, and he has a remarkable plate discipline with 27 walks and 29 Ks on the season. Drafted as a fourth year senior out of college, Heid is a bit old for the Pioneer League. Just like the Angels did with Baird, AngelsWin.com won’t be surprised if the Angels have Heid skip Cedar Rapids next year and place him in Rancho where he can face more age-appropriate competition.

What’s Up: Chatwood is putting a strong finish on his Minor League season. He’s well positioned to be one of the Angels’ top pitching prospects and well positioned to be in line to be the highest Minor League pitcher on the Angels’ depth chart for 2011. With Joel Pineiro’s contract expiring at the end of 2011, Chatwood would seem to be the pitcher in line to take over that spot in the rotation and AngelsWin.com believes that he will do a good job when he arrives in Anaheim. While Chatwood’s strikeouts are down, he’s also pitching more efficiently, using fewer pitches to get more batters out. That will help him be more successful in the Majors as it will allow him to pitch deeper into games and earn more wins.

What’s Up: Jeremy Berg is another relief pitcher that Angels fans should keep an eye on. Signed as an undrafted free agent, Berg has been on the move this year, going from low Single-A Cedar Rapids all the way up to Double-A Arkansas (a total of 3 stops). Along the way, he’s gotten better, inducing nearly twice as many groundballs as he has air outs. He was just named the Texas League’s Pitcher of the Week for the week ending on August 15th, and should be in contention for Pitcher of the Month honors. At the rate he’s moving through the system, Berg could be a force in the Angels’ bullpen by the middle of 2011.

What’s Up: For the first time in a few years, Segura has played healthy for the entire season to date. And, the Angels are liking what they are seeing from him. At 20 years old, Segura has power and speed. Abe Flores, Director of Player Development for the Angels has described him as a 5-tool player. He can hit anywhere in the lineup, from leading off to driving in runs in the heart of the order. With Amarista ahead of him at Double-A, and similar in nature (but smaller in stature), it will be interesting to see how the Angels decide to develop both players. Most likely one will get moved to the OF to get their bats into the Major Leagues, with Segura being the more likely of the two.

What’s Up: Romine is a local player out of Trabuco Hills High School. A plus-defender, Romine has worked hard to get his hitting to match his glove. Romine may not have the range of Aybar, but he makes all the plays that a team would want out of a shortstop with a solid arm. He’s posted a .973 Fielding % this year in Arkansas, which, given the condition of some of the fields in the Texas League is good. Offensively, Romine has improved his plate discipline a bit and is on pace to establish a new career high in walks. It would be interesting to see if the Angels give Romine some time at second base and/or third base to make him more valuable as a utility player.

What’s Up: Jeremy Moore has a lot of tools. He has a good mix of speed and power and has a good arm. He can play all three OF positions. Since the All-Star Break, he has been on fire, posting a .351/.394/.571 line in 41 games. He’s hit as many HRs and stolen nearly as many bases as he did in the first half but in far fewer games. Strikeouts are still a big concern for him, but he is getting better at that year by year. Next year, Moore is poised to post some big offensive numbers in the PCL. Whether he projects as a good 4th outfielder or a solid corner like GA (with a bit more speed and a better arm) will depend a lot on his ability to master plate discipline.

What’s Up: On August 17th, Orangel took a hard-luck loss giving up 1 unearned run when the Quakes were shutout. But, fore the month, he’s posted a 0.45 ERA in 20.0 IP. Orangel is an extreme ground ball pitcher, in the mold of Joel Pineiro, generating a 2:1 groundball ratio on the season. The walks are a bit of a concern—he’s giving up over 4 walks per 9 IP, but, as with his other stats, that number is trending down this month. Arenas doesn’t project as a top of the order starter, but, he does project as a more than serviceable #4 or #5 if he improves his control and maintains his ability to generate ground balls.

What’s Up: Trumbo in August has been playing like a Major Leaguer. He’s drawn nearly as many walks as strikeouts for the month (16:19) and established a new career high in walks with 50. If the season ended today, he’d have his highest career on-base percentage (.363), slugging percentage (.557) and OPS (.917). AngelsWin.com is not sure how much more Trumbo has left to prove, but at this point, it’s looking like Trumbo won’t get any time in Anaheim until September. Hopefully he will get the majority of starts when he arrives so that he can get as much out of the limited opportunity as he can.

What’s Up: Wing’s best asset may be his versatility. Although he is listed as a third baseman, this year he has seen time at first base, second base, shortstop, third base, right field and as the team’s DH. While his range is not as great as an elite prospect at any of the positions, he’s only committed 9 errors on the season and makes all the routine plays. His versatility will be used as he moves up the ranks and adjusts to other prospects coming through the system and could be a useful role player for the Angels long-term.

Honorable Mentions

There were a lot of great performances this week worth talking about—far more than just a Top-10 list could accommodate. Here are some other notable performances for the week:

What’s Up: Walks are a problem, but the low number of hits and high number of strikeouts are promising. As Hellweg master’s the zone more, the walks should go down and the Ks should increase. At 6’9”, Hellweg attacks the zone with a downward angle and has only allowed 1 HR the entire season.

What’s Up: Even with all left-handers traded in July, the Angels still have several quality left-handed arms in the system. While walks are a bit of a concern for Kehrer for the season overall, since the All-Star Break, he’s only allowed 19 walks in 53.2 IP while striking out 47.

What’s Up: A left-handed hitting catcher (throws right), Jimenez is working his way up the depth chart. This season, he’s thrown out 26% of opposing base runners. He’s shown good plate discipline, posting a 50:36 K:BB ratio.

What’s Up: Since being converted from a starter to a reliever at the end of July, Diemer has been pitching much better. He’s been able to throw with more power in shorter bursts, which has helped him generate a lot of Ks. As a reliever, the Angels’ 6th round draft pick in 2010 has been able to go 1 or 2 innings at a time, but will need to refine his secondary pitches as he faces tougher competition.

What’s Up: But for one bad inning on August 18th, Scholl would have made the Top-10 Hot Prospect List this week. Still, like most relievers, it’s better to see their numbers by looking at their past 10 games. And, even with that bad inning, Scholl is generating some impressive numbers. He is walking far fewer batters than he has in the past. And, in the hitter friendly Cal League, he has only allowed 1 HR on the season.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

By David Saltzer, AngelsWin.com Senior WriterAnd Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat. And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD's lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness . . . And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness . . . And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month . . . to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year.Leviticus 16: 8-34 King James Version online.

Blame Butcher! Blame Hatcher! Blame Scioscia! (only if you are named T.J. Simers) listen to the calls on the radio and read the message boards and blogs. If there’s one Biblical commandment that Angels fans can be found observing regardless of religious denomination, it’s the call for a scapegoat when the team struggles. With the Angels struggling to maintain a .500 average on the season, the mob is howling loudly to blame somebody.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

August 18, 2006 at Angel Stadium of Anaheim the Los Angeles Angels beat the Seattle Mariners 3-0. The Angels got an RBI from Vladimir Guerrero in the bottom of the first and two more runs on a Mike Napoli homer in the bottom of the 4th inning. Jered Weaver pitched 7 innings, allowing no runs on 3 hits, striking out 7 for the win. Weaver was drafted by the Angels in the first round (12th overall) in the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft and made his MLB debut in May of 2006 against the Baltimore Orioles, striking out 5 in 7 shutout innings for the victory. He would then win three more consecutive starts before being sent back to the minors. After being recalled by the Angels in June, this game would be Weaver's 9th straight victory, opening the season at 9-0, tying the American League record held by Whitey Ford in 1950 of wins to start a major league career.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

August 17, 2003 at Edison International Stadium the Anaheim Angels beat the Detroit Tigers 11-6. Adam Kennedy (3-4, 4 runs, 3 RBI) and Scott Spiezio (3-5, 2 runs, 1 RBI) each homered and Chone Figgins also drove in 2 runs in the game. Ramon Ortiz pitched 6 innings, allowing 3 runs on 8 hits, striking out 5, for his 14th win of the season. Ortiz was signed as an amateur free agent by the Angels in 1995 and made his Major League debut in 1999 against the Chicago White Sox, a game which he pitched 8 innings for the win. Ortiz had his best years with the Angels between the 2001 and 2003 seasons where he averaged 32 games started and 15 wins. Ortiz earned the win in game 3 of the 2002 World Series against the San Fransisco Giants and set a career mark in wins with 16 in 2003. Ortiz was traded at the end of 2004 to the Cincinnati Reds for pitcher Dustin Moseley.

Monday, August 16, 2010

BOBBY ABREU OF THE ANGELS NAMED BANK OF AMERICA AMERICAN LEAGUE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim outfielder Bobby Abreu has been named of the Bank of America Presents the American League Player of the Week for the period ending August 15th. Bank of America, the Official Bank of Major League Baseball, is the presenting sponsor of the American League and National League Player of the Week Awards, which reflect Bank of America’s long-standing tradition of promoting and recognizing higher standards of accomplishment.

Abreu hit safely in each of his six games played last week and posted an A.L.-best .524 (11-for-21) batting average with two home runs and five RBI. The two-time All-Star also led the league with a .615 on-base percentage, tied for first with 11 hits, ranked second with a .952 slugging percentage and tied for second with three doubles. On Monday, August 9th against the Kansas City Royals at Angel Stadium, the Venezuelan native went 3-for-5 with a double, a home run and two runs scored while tying his season-high with four RBI in the Angels’ 6-4 victory. On Wednesday, August 11th, Abreu connected for his eighth career walk-off hit and fourth career walk-off home run with a solo shot in the bottom of the 10th inning, lifting the Angels to a 2-1 win and a three-game sweep of the Royals. In the three-game set, the 36-year-old slugger went 7-for-12 (.583) with two home runs, two doubles and five RBI. Abreu, who is currently riding an eight-game hitting streak, is batting .394 (13-for-33) since assuming the leadoff role for the Angels, who have gone 6-3 during that span. This marks the first career A.L. weekly award for Abreu, who has won N.L. honors three times during his career (previous: May 9-15, 2005 with the Phillies).

August 16, 2009 at Camden Yards in Baltimore, the Los Angeles Angels beat the Baltimore Orioles 17-8 in 13 innings. The Angels scored 9 runs in the top of the 13th inning, giving Jason Bulger the victory. Both teams would each use 7 pitchers in the game. The Angels had 23 hits in the game which included home runs from Bobby Abreu and Juan Rivera and Chone Figgins went 4-7, scoring 3 and knocking in 3 with 3 doubles. Figgins also had an RBI single in the sixth inning giving him his 1,000th hit of his career. The Angels also stole 5 bases in the game.

ANAHEIM, CA -- The Angels Monday announced the club has agreed to terms with first-round draft pick (18th overall), infielder Kaleb Cowart out of Cook County High School in Adel, Georgia. Per club policy, no terms of the agreement were released. The announcement was made by Angels’ Director of Scouting Eddie Bane.

Cowart (pronounced Cow-ert), was named the 2010 Gatorade National High School Baseball Player of the Year. The switch-hitting third baseman batted .654 with 11 home runs, 55 runs scored, 59 RBI and 36 stolen bases (in 36 attempts) at Cook County. His batting average ranked second all-time in Georgia state single-season history. The 6’ 3”, 210-pounder had signed a letter of intent to play baseball at Florida State.

“We’re pleased to officially welcome Kaleb to our organization,” said Bane who has spent the past seven seasons as the Angels’ Director of Scouting. “He will add to the talented pieces already in our farm system, and will play a large role in the future success of the Angels.”

Cowart was the first of three 2010 first-round selections for the Angels: #18 from the Mariners (compensation for C. Figgins), #29 from the Red Sox (compensation for J. Lackey) and #30 (regular slotted pick). The Angels were also awarded two supplemental round picks #37, for Lackey, and #40, for Figgins, in the supplemental first round.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

August 15, 1999 at Tiger Stadium the Anaheim Angels beat the Detroit Tigers 10-2. The Angels got home runs from Troy Glaus, Todd Greene, Garret Anderson and Tim Salmon in the game to back 6 2/3 innings pitched by Chuck Finley who recorded the win. Finley struck out 12 batters, including 4 in the first inning. Finley struck out 4 batters in an inning twice with the Angels and once with the Cleveland Indians and is the only player in Major League Baseball history to strike out 4 batters in an inning more than once. 1999 was the last year Finley was with the Angels after 14 years with the team.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

With 117 games played, the Angels are 8.5 games back in the A.L. West. This isn’t exactly the position the Angels wanted to be in. They’re not too far out to call it a season, but not so close that it’s likely that they will make the playoffs.

With 45 games left on the season, it’s time to start thinking about moves that the Angels should make now to make the most out of the remainder of the season. Here are three moves I’d like to see the Angels make between now and the end of the season in order to improve the club.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

August 12, 1974 at Anaheim Stadium the California Angels beat the Boston Red Sox 4-2. Nolan Ryan pitched a complete game while striking out 19 Red Sox batters. Ryan tied his Angels club record from the year before with 26 complete games in 1974 and the 19 k's is the Angels club record for 9 innings. Ryan had fanned 19 in a game three other times before with the Angels, but those games went into extra innings. Three of his 19 strikeout games came in the summer of 1974, twice against the Red Sox. The Angels offense was led by a Bob Oliver three-run home run. Oliver came to the Angels in a trade with the Kansas City Royals in May of 1972 for pitcher Tom Murphy and would split time between first base, third base and the outfield. Oliver's best years with the Angels were during the 1972 and 1973 seasons where he averaged 527 at-bats, 19 home runs and 80 RBI. The Angels traded Oliver to the Baltimore Orioles in September of 1974 for pitcher Mickey Scott.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

August 11, 1972 at Anaheim Stadium the California Angels beat the Minnesota Twins 3-1. Clyde Wright pitched a complete game, allowing 1 run on 5 hits for his 13th win of the year. The Angels got RBI doubles from both Sandy Alomar and Vada Pinson in the game. Pinson who had been an All-Star for the Cincinnati Reds was traded to the Angels from the Cleveland Indians near the end of his baseball career with two other players for Alex Johnson and Jerry Moses. While Pinson averaged 130 games a year with the Angels for his two years he only averaged 8 home runs and 53 RBI which were far off his career averages prior to that. The Angels traded Pinson to the Kansas City Royals in 1974 where he played 2 more years before moving on to coaching in the majors.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

August 10, 1979 at Anaheim Stadium the California Angels lost to the Seattle Mariners 8-6 in 14 innings. Dave LaRoche allowed 3 runs in the top of the 14th to take the loss. The Angels got a home run From Carney Lansford with 2 RBI and Dan Ford went 5-7 in the game hitting for the cycle, becoming the second of 5 players to hit for the cycle in Angels history. Dan Ford was traded to the Angels at the end of the 1978 season from the Minnesota Twins for Ron Jackson and Danny Goodwin. In 1979, Ford would set career highs while with the Angels in runs (100), home runs (21), RBI (101) and average (.290). Ford would later be traded to the Baltimore Orioles at the start of 1982 in the trade that brought Doug DeCinces to the Angels.

Monday, August 9, 2010

August 9, 1994 at Anaheim Stadium the California Angels lost to the Kansas City Royals 5-3. Brian Anderson pitched 7 1/3 innings allowing 3 runs on 7 hits before Mark Leiter would lose in relief in the top of the 11th inning. The Angels used 4 pitchers in the game and gave up a club record 8 doubles to the Royals. The Angels scoring came from a Bo Jackson home run in the 8th inning. Jackson, who was a 20th round pick by the Angels in the 1985 draft but never signed would later come to the Angels as a free agent starting the 1994 season. Jackson, who had battled hip injuries before coming to the Angels in 1994 as a two-sport player in football and baseball, hit a career high .279 with the Angels that year -- but two days after this game his season was cut short by the players strike and Jackson would retire from pro sports before the 1995 season.

This season hasn’t turned out how anyone would have wanted. With only two months left to play, the Angels have about a 2% chance of making the playoffs. The team is hovering around .500. It’s easy to be frustrated with the team and to tune out, but here are the Top 10 reasons why you should still continue to come out and support the team.

Friday, August 6, 2010

It is with great pleasure that AngelsWin.com presents another Hot Prospect List for the Angels. In our weekly column, we take a look at who has been hot down on the farm. Unlike our annual Top-50 Prospects, our Hot Prospects List is not ranked based on the ceiling of the prospect or the likelihood of him achieving that ceiling. Instead, it is weekly snapshot that reflects the players’ accomplishments based on their performances against their competition. This year, AngelsWin.com will be presenting the Hot Prospect List every Friday throughout the Minor League season.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Years from now, Angels fans might look back on August 3rd, 2010 as the day the Peter Bourjos era began. He is a speedy, dynamic, defensively gifted outfielder who may become an integral part of the Angels’ future. But for me, I’ll remember the day as the day Torii Hunter became my favorite Angel player on the team.

No one likes getting older. When I close my eyes, I don’t picture myself as the person I am standing in front of the mirror. I picture myself as the person I was in my prime, about 10 years ago—the guy with the full head of hair, who could bench a lot more, and who weighed a bit less.

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